Record controlled statistical machine



June 4, '1946. A. THOMAS ETAL RECORD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE Filed March 28, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 4, 1946. A THOMAS ETAL 2,401,671

RECORD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE Filed March 28, 1945 -5 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. THOMAS ET AL RECORD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE June 4, 1946.

, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 28 June 4, 1946. A. THOMAS ET AL 2,401,671

RECORD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE Filed March 28, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 JJLLU'? June 4, 1946. A. THOMAS ETAL 2,401,671

RECORD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE Filed March 28, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 4, 1946 RECORD CONTROLLED STATISTICAL MACHINE Arthur Thomas, Wallington, and Arthur William Excell, Thornton Heath, England, assignors to Powers Accounting Machines Limited, London, England, a British company Application March 28, 1945, Serial No. 585,316 In Great Britain March 30, 1944 11 Claims.

1 This invention relates to record card controlled tabulating machines and has for its object to provide an improved mechanism for selecting and setting punches to represent the total held in an accumulator of such a machine whereby said total may be punched in a summary card.

To this end the invention comprises mechanism for selecting out oi' a column of record punches. a punch corresponding to the position of a swinging sector settable under the control of an accumulator wheel, said mechanism comprising in combination a column of slidably mounted punch setting elements, a selecting slide mounted to move along said column to position a lug thereon in register with each setting element in turn, an operating lever pivoted at one end to a ilxed frame member and connected at its other end by a pin and slot connection to the selecting slide, and a link connecting the operating lever to an extension of the sector beyond its pivot, the distance from the pivot of the operating lever to the point of connection of the link thereto being substantially equal to the distance from the sector pivot to the point of connection oi' the link to the extension thereof, whereby as the sector swings through a series of consecutive numerical positions, the selecting slide moves in a straight line to bring its lug into register with the corresponding setting elements in turn, the selecting slides for a plurality of columns of punch setting elements being mounted in a frame capable of movement towards the punch setting elements to actuate said elements by engagement therewith of the lugs on the selecting slides.

'I'he punches may be arranged in columns in the manner described in British patent specification No. 461,612, Francis G. English, accepted February 19, 1937, each column being provided with a corresponding column of set bars which are actuated through flexible cables by the puncl. setting elements above referred to.

Inr order that the invention may be more completely understood jone'embodiment thereof will now Ybe described withfreierence to, the accomdenying diagrammatic drawings as appliedi toa machine having an accumulator and total taking mechanism of the form described in United States Patent No. 2,364,934 or 2,242,095, or in the copending U. 8 application led March 28, 1945, Serial No. 585,250 (Div. 17) of Arthur Thomas and Alfred Herrman Gausden for improvements in record card controlled statistical machines.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figs. 1A and 1B together form a left hand outside elevation of the machine;

swinging sectors, together with the punch selectingmechanism in outsidel elevation;

Fig. 2A is a. detail view of the sectors and connected parts;

Fig. 3 illustrates the punch selecting mechanism according to the invention in side sectional elevation, showing also certain mechanism for selecting a punch to punch an indicating hole when the accumulator is clear;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 omitting the mechanism for selecting the indicating hole punch; and

Fig. 5 is a plan of the mechanism for selecting the indicating hole punch.

In the drawings like references indicate the same or similar parts.

In the construction illustrated in the drawings, stops |8|| in a stop basket |8| are set by sensing mechanism which reads the cards, and swinging toothed sectors |60 are set from the stops, thereby setting also corresponding swinging type carriers |58 in the known manner.

Each type carrier |58 is connected by a link |51 to a corresponding toothed sector |55 from which the amounts read from the cards are transmitted to the positive accumulator wheels |50 or to the negative accumulator wheels |5| in the manner described in U. S. Patent No. 2,364,934.

When the total accumulated in the wheels |50 or |5| is to be recorded the wheels are engaged with the sectors |55 before the latter are permitted to swing forward whereby the sectors are set to the amount of the total and, through the links |51, set the type carriers |58.

In order to select punches in accordance with the value ci the total the following mechanism according to the invention is provided.

This punch selecting mechanism comprises a pair of frame plates 35| each carrying blocks 352 whereby it is attached by screws 352A or any other suitable means to a bar 353 and blocks 353a on a side plate 354 of the upper part of the machine.

Mounted outside each plate 35| is a movable plate 355, the two plates 355V being connected by lcross bars 356, 351 and a crossvrod 358..,.Thei

such vertical bar 36| and associated slide 362 for each column of punches, in the present instance eleven.

Each selecting slide 362 carries a projecting nger 363 and cooperating with each of said fingers is a. column ot punch setting plungers 364, there being ten such plungers 364 in each column representing the digital values to 9.

In each column the plungers 364 are arranged horizontally one above the other with the lowest value plunger, i. e. zero, at the top and the cardinal numbers 1 to 9, inclusive, reading down from the zero.

Each of the selecting slides 362 is connected to the corresponding type carrier 156 of the adding mechanism by the following mechanism.

Freely mounted on a fixed shaft 365 is an operating lever 366 for each slide 362. the lever 366 carrying a pin 361 engaging a slot 366 in an extension 366 of the slide The pivot 365 for the operating lever 366 is disposed below the level of the pin and slot connection 361, 366 by an amount approximately equal to half the vertical travel of the slide 362 so that the two extreme positions of the operating lever 366 are substantially equal distances above and below a horizontal line through the pivot 365. The lever 366 is however not straight but is curved so that it is concave downwardly.

The pivot 365 for the operating levers 366 is vertically above the shaft |56 upon which the sectors |56 are mounted and each type carrier |56 has an extension 316 beyond its pivot, which extension is substantially parallel to the part of the operating lever 366 adjacent to the pivot 365. This extension 316 of the sector is connected to the corresponding operating lever 366 by a vertical link 31|, the distance of the pivot 365 from the point of connection 312 between said link 31i and the lever 366 being substantially the same as the distance from the sector pivot |56 to the point of connection 313 of the link 31| to the extension 316 of the sector.

By means of the connection above described, as the sector |58 swings through a series of consecu tive numerical positions the selecting slide 362 moves in a straight line to bring its finger 363 into register with the corresponding setting plungers 364 in turn.

In this way when the sectors 156 are set from the accumulator wheels at a total taking operation each selecting slide 362 will be positioned with its finger 363 in register with a plunger 364 of the corresponding column representing the digit to which the sector has been set, the plungers thus selected representing the amount of the total.

Each plunger 364 is in register with an intermediate transmission pin 391 which is in register with a corresponding exible cable 366 by means of which the corresponding punch is set for operation.

The punch unit, indicated generally in Fig. 1B, is the same as that described in British patent specification No. 490,358 and includes columns of punches 315 and corresponding columns of set bars 336, of which the upper ends are in register with the lower ends of the cables 366.

In order to operate the set bars 366 the horizontally movable frame 355 is actuated by a pair of vertical arms 466 secured at their lower ends to a shaft 461 and pivoted at their upper ends by a pin and slot connection 462 to the frame plate 355. The shaft 46| carries a horizontal lever 463 of which the free end has a pin 464 engaging in a slot in a vertical link 466, said link terminating at its lower end in an eccentric strap 461 engaging over an eccentric 468 secured to a shaft 466 carrying a pinion 416 meshing with a gear wheel secured to a shaft 412 driven from the mainshaft 2 by a Geneva mechanism indicated generally at 413, in such a. way that the eccentric 466 makes one revolution in each revolution of the mainshaft 2, the revolution oi the eccentric occupying a quarter of the revolution of the main shaft. The pin 464 on lever 463 is normally at the bottom of the slot 465 in the link 466 in which position it is held by springs 414 attached to the vertical arms 466, these springs maintaining the plates 355 against stops 416 constituted by the extended ends of the shaft 365, the frame being thus in a retracted position away from the plungers 364. The vertical link 466 is stationary at the top of its stroke during three quarters of the revolution of the main shaft 2 and during this period the moving frame 355 is locked in the retracted position by engagement of the -pin 464 with the bottom of the slot 465, and by engagement of the plates 355 with the stops 416.

During a quarter of each revolution of the main shaft 2 the eccentric 466 makes its revolution and moves the link 466 down and up but this movement is without eiect on the frame 355, which is held in the retracted position by the springs 414, the slot 465 sliding idly past the pin 464.

Also pivoted to the lever 463 is a depending link 415 of which the lower end is forked at 416 to engage over a pin 241 on a link 243. The link 415 carries a lug 411 which is normally clear oi a lug 416 on the link 466.

During card reading cycles the link 243 is stationary and the vertical reciprocations of the link 466 move the lug 416 idly past the lug 411 without affecting the link 415. At a total taking operation, however, the total shaft 235 makes one revolution and a cam 236, thereon, through link 238, bell crank plate 233, and link 246 rocks arm 241 whereby the link 243 is moved to the right in Fig. 1A. Consequently the pin 241 swings the link 415 counterclockwise into a position in which its lug 411 is beneath the lug 41B so that now, when the link 466 next moves down, its lug 416 engages lug 411 and pulls link 415 downwardly,

thereby rocking the lever 463 and shaft 46| counterclockwise, thus rocking the vertical levers 466 to move the frame 355 to the left in Fig. 1A so that the setting plungers 364 are actuated by the fingers 363 on the selecting slides 362. This actuation of the -plungers operates the punch set bars 366 through the flexible cables 366 whereby the set bars are set to the amount of the total.

On the rise of the link 466 the springs 414 return the frame 355 to its normal position.

The machine also includes means for sensing the sectors |56 on a total taking operation and means operative under the control of said sensing means to give an indication when any sector is away from the zero position, thereby indicating Whether the accumulator associated with said sector is clear.

This mechanism includes a shaft 426 mounted between wings 421 upstanding from a plate 422 supported on a bar 423 extending across the frame plates 355 and supported thereon. Thus the shaft 426 moves bodily with the frame 355.

Pivoted on shaft 426 is a series of levers 424 each urged by a spring 425 into engagement with a sensing pin 426 resting on a corresponding one when of the fingers I which proiect from the selecting slides SI2.

If any sector |58 moves away from zero the corresponding selecting slide 362 moves down and the sensing pin 428 follows it, thereby permitting the corresponding lever 424 to rock clockwise.

Lying across the tails 424a of all the levers 424 is a bail 421 carried between arms 428 pivoted on shaft 420 and one of said arms 428 has an extension 429 designated as clear which when all the sectors are at zero is in register with a plunger 4a also designated as clear connected by one of the flexible cables 388 to a set bar C for setting a punch topunch clear" indicating hole on the card.

If any sector moves away from zero, the corresponding sensing pin 420 is free to move down and consequently the corresponding lever 424 rocks counterclockwise and its tail 424a lifts the bail 421 thereby depressing the extended arm 429 out of register with the plunger 34a, so that if the total is not zero the indicating hole is not punched. To prevent upward overthrow of extension 429 when levers 424 are restored t zero position, use is made of a rocker lever 420e whose extension 4202 is urged by spring 420c against the underside of the tails 424g.

The punching mechanism is similar to that described in British patent specification No. 490,358, Ernest C, McClure, accepted August l2, 1938, being driven from a punch shaft which is rotated at the proper time through a clutch controlled by a cam on the total shaft 235.

We claim:

l. Mechanism for selecting out of a column of record punches, a punch corresponding to the p0- sition of a swinging sector settable under the control of an accumulator wheel, said mechanism comprising in combination, a column of slidably mounted punch setting elements, a selecting slide, a lug on said slide, said slide being movable along said column to position its lug in register with each setting element in turn, a support, an operating lever pivoted at one end to said support, a pin and slot connection between the other end of said operating lever and said selecting slide, an extension to said swinging sector, said extension projecting beyond the pivot about which said sector swings, and a link connecting said operating lever to said sector extension. the distance from the pivot of the operating lever to the point of connection of said link thereto being sumantially equal to the distance from the sector pivot to the point of connection of said link to said sector extension.

2. Punch selecting mechanism according to claim l, wherein the selecting slides are mounted in a frame movable towards the columns oi punch setting elements to actuate those of said setting elements in register with which the lugs of the selecting slides have been positioned.

3. Punch selecting mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the selecting slides are vertical and the operating levers therefor are horizontal, and the pivot for each operating lever is disposed below the level of the point of connection of the operating lever to the slide by an amount approximately equal to half the vertical travel of the slide, so that, the two extreme positions of the operating lever are substantially equal distances above and below a horizontal line through the operating lever pivot.

4. Punch selecting mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the extension of the sector is sublever adjacent the pivot therefor, and the link connecting said extension and lever lies parallel to the direction of the column of punch selecting elements.

5. In a machine of the character described, the y combination with a type carrier and an accumulator wheel for controlling the movement of the carrier, of punch setting means corresponding to zero and clear designations respectively, means tor operating said punch setting means, one of said operating means being adjustable into and out of alinement with the punch setting means designated zero, and the other of said operating means being -movable into and out of alinement with the punch setting means designated clear. means for actuating said adjustable operating means, and means associated with said adjustable and movable operating means for adapting the latter to move out of alinement with the punch setting means designated clear when the adjustable operating means moves out oi alinement with the punch setting means designated zero.

6. In an accounting machine having an accumulator and swinging sectors settable from said accumulator to record the total held therein, an indicating element to each sector, disposable in a non-clear position indicating that the accumulator is not clear, or in a clear position in which it indicates that the accumulator is clear, a frame movable towards said indicating element, a plurality o! slides mounted in said frame, one slide to each sector, an operative connection between each sector and its corresponding slide, a sensing pin to each slide. a shaft mounted in said frame, a plurality of levers pivoted on said shaft, each of said levers spring urged into engagement with a corresponding one of said sensing pins, a bail pivoted on said shaft and disposed across all said levers, and an extended arm to said bail in the plane of the indicating element.

7. In an accounting machine having accumuiators, and type carriers adjustable by said accumulators to record a total held in the latter, the combination with a punch unit, of numerical punch setting means and clear punch setting means, means for operating all of said punch setting means including a member movable upon total taking action of said machine and extension means on said member, means adjustable by the carriers for aligning some of the extension means with numerical punch setting means corresponding to the adjusted positions of said carriers, and means controlled by the aligning movement of said aligned extension means for adapting another extension means for movement out of alignment with said clear punch setting means.

8. In an accounting machine, in combination, means for setting numeral and clear punches, extensions for alined operating engagement with said punch setting means, means for variably ad- Justing the extensions adapted for operating engagement with the numeral punches including a movable accumulator controlled type carrier, means for moving the extensions to actuate the punch setting means, means for sensing adjusting movement of said numeral punch setting extensions and means controlled by said sensing means for affecting non-alignment of the clear punch operating extension and said clear punch setting means when adjusting movement of a numeral punch setting extension is sensed.

9. In an accounting machine, in combination, punch setting means. extensions for operating stantially parallel to the part of the operating u said setting means. means for moving the extensions including a movable frame and an operating lever therefor. an operating link and a total link extending from said lever, said operating link having free movement relatively to said lever, means for reciprocating said operating link, cmcting means on said links for operatively Joining them and means for moving said total link into operative engagement with said operating link for transferring the motion oi the operating link to said lever through said total link.

10. In an accounting machine, in combination an accumulator. a type carrier movable imder control of said accumulator for recording numerical items and totals thereof, a movable frame, a group of punch setting plungers, a separate punch setting plunger. means movable mounted on said frame for actuating said group plungers, a lever connecting said actuating means and the carrier whereby said actuating means can be moved successively past the plungers of said group for register with a plunger corresponding to the recording movement of said carrier. mechanism on said trame. sensing means associated with said mechanism and said actuating means whereby movement of the latter to and from an extreme position will adapt said mechanism i'or movement, and operating means for said sepa- 8 rate punch movable into and out o! alinement with the punch by said mechanism.

il. In an accounting machine, in combination. an accumulator controlled type carrier, means for setting punches corresponding to numeral and clear designations respectively. means-for operating the punch setting means including a movable frame ar arm for moving the frame and punch setting extensions associated with said frame, means operated by the carrier for adjusting the punch setting extensions corresponding to numerical designations, sensing means controlled by the adjusting movement of any of said numeral punch setting extensions away from a position designated as zero for disabling the Punch setting extension designated as clear, an operating link and a total link associated with said frame moving arm, means for reciprocating said operating link in free movement relatively to said arm, coacting meansv on said link for operatively joining them, and means for moving the total link into coactive relation with said operating link for transferring motion from the latter to said frame operating arm through said total link.

ARTHUR THOMAS. ARTHUR WILLIAM EXCELL. 

